Cannon Fodder Group Ch.20

Chapter 20 – Already Secured

In the county town, in the evening, when Cao Jiandang returned home, he heard that his eldest daughter-in-law had taken the two children back to her parents’ home. Even his eldest son, Cao Dazhu, went back with them to his mother-in-law’s house.

Upon hearing this news, Cao Jiandang’s face instantly darkened, “What’s going on? Why did they suddenly go back to her parents’ home? Even Dazhu went with them?”

Cao Jiandang’s wife was directing a few younger sisters and daughters to cook while answering, “What else could it be? Of course, it’s because they want to have a baby. After having two daughters, they definitely want a son. But look at this room, it’s so small. How can you let them have a baby here?”

Cao Jiandang surveyed the 10-square-meter house in front of him; indeed, it was very small. With all the family members combined, they were a total of 16 people.

But there was only one room. Placing several beds inside left no space to even stand. Between the beds, they could only use curtains as makeshift partitions.

However, what use were the curtains? Especially at night, any sound could easily be heard.

Especially during intimate moments between couples, it was impossible to conceal those sounds.

But these children couldn’t just not be born.

Especially with the other end of the curtains, not only did it include the husband’s siblings, but also their own parents-in-law, and the husband’s grandparents.

“If it weren’t for Cuiping being pregnant back then, do you think her parents would have agreed to let her marry into our family?”

“Look at how difficult it is for the younger sons, Erzhu and Sanzhu, to propose marriage. When the matchmakers heard that it was our family, they immediately shook their heads and were unwilling to arrange a match for us.”

“Look at this tiny house, can they marry? But where would they live? Are we supposed to let them all follow their wives back to their parents’ homes? If this continues for a long time, it’s uncertain whether these sons will even be considered our own.”

“Look at Dazhu, I think he’s no different from a son-in-law who married into the family.”

“Every other day, Cuiping takes him to live at her parents’ house. He calls her mother-in-law even more affectionately than to me, his own mother. This son is almost not ours anymore.”

“…”

While his wife continued to ramble on, Cao Jiandang felt increasingly annoyed, as if there were countless mosquitoes buzzing in his ears.

“…This time, the factory is allocating houses. If only you could get one.”

“Unfortunately, your seniority is low, and you’re just a workshop worker. Even if you become a workshop director, you can’t get a house. But this time, you must become the workshop director.”

Cao Jiandang remained silent for a moment, then replied, “It’s not impossible.”

Initially, Lu Hong was just casually complaining, as usual. She didn’t expect her husband to respond like this. She instantly became alert, approached her husband, and asked, “What’s not impossible? Becoming the workshop director, or getting a house?”

Cao Jiandang’s parents, sitting on the bed due to the lack of seating, also perked up when they heard this.

“Yeah, Jiandang, from what you’re saying, can you really get a house?”

“If Jiandang could really get a house, that would be great.”

Cao Jiandang remembered something he had overheard in the factory manager’s office some time ago. This matter had been weighing on his mind for the past few days, and now he could finally share it.

His family members were pleasantly surprised when they heard the revelation.

“What? Workshop directors can also get houses?”

“That’s great, Jiandang! You’re about to become the workshop director, right? Once you become the workshop director, we can get a house.”

“With a house, our family will finally have a place to catch our breath.”

Listening to his family’s excitement, Cao Jiandang, if unaware, might have thought he had already become the workshop director and secured a house.

He patiently explained, “Can’t you understand what I’m saying? I’m saying there’s an opportunity, and there are dozens of workshop directors. But there are only three welfare houses for workshop directors, and…”

“Why do you all think that I will definitely be the workshop director? I’m competing with Xu Aiguo. Maybe he’ll become the workshop director.”

Back then, the concepts of a workshop director and getting a house were both nonexistent.

His words instantly quieted the initially excited Cao family.

After a while, someone squeezed out a sentence.

“What do you mean by Xu Aiguo becoming the workshop director? You say you’re competing, but that Xu Aiguo is a countryside man, who knows how he entered the textile factory back then and worked as a worker. Can he compare to you, who has won the Excellent Worker Award many times?”

“The workshop director position is definitely yours.”

“As long as you become the workshop director, there’s a chance for this housing allocation. Even if there are dozens of workshop directors, how many of them are excellent workers? How many have been praised by the leaders? None.”

“So, you will definitely become the workshop director, and our family will definitely get a house.”

The Cao family had full confidence that Cao Jiandang would become the workshop director and secure the house.

They were blindly confident in Cao Jiandang, believing that no one could surpass him.

A mere workshop director position was like something in their bag.

However, Cao Jiandang wasn’t as optimistic.

Leaving aside the matter of getting a house, just the workshop director position alone made him uncertain if he could outcompete Xu Aiguo.

Of course, in Cao Jiandang’s mind, he was undoubtedly superior to Xu Aiguo.

Especially since he was from the county town, while Xu Aiguo was just a person from the countryside.

But Cao Jiandang wasn’t entirely sure.

Back then, he joined the textile factory as a successor, while Xu Aiguo, it was rumored, had used connections to get in.

He feared that Xu Aiguo might employ some unscrupulous means or leverage his connections to eventually become the workshop director.

Although Cao Jiandang didn’t want to think of Xu Aiguo in that way, when it came to promotion and housing allocation, everything else seemed insignificant.

If he couldn’t become the workshop director, forget getting a house.

However, Cao Jiandang felt that within the next ten years, he had only this one chance to secure a house.

If he didn’t seize it, perhaps he wouldn’t have another opportunity in the next decade.

He couldn’t accept that.

But what could he do?

Was there any way for him to become the workshop director and secure a house properly?

At this moment, the voices of his family members entered his ears.

“Hey, did you see the newspaper the other day? A worker at the Anshan Steel Plant discovered that the metal materials in the factory were being stolen for a long time. He reported it immediately, and they caught many thieves. If it weren’t for his report, tons of metal materials would have been stolen and sold. He saved a significant amount of the factory’s assets. The factory rewarded his family with a worker position and promoted him. It’s in the newspaper now.”

“Yeah, I heard about it too. Look at the newspaper; it’s so honorable.”

Cao Jiandang was puzzled, “Where is the newspaper?”

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